Apparatus for incubating



C. M. HEC K. APPARATUS FOR INCUBATING. APPLICATION F'fLED mrv. 1.9. m4.

1 ,4-24, 82 l Patented a V I Aug. 8, 19-22. 3 SHEETS-SHEET C. M. HECK.

APPARATUS FOR INCUBATING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

1 ,424,82 1 Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

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PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. HECK, OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

APPARATUS ron moonarme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Application filed. November 19, 1914. Serial No. 873,031.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. HEQK, acitizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wakeand State of 'North Carolina, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Incubating, of which the following isaspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improved ap paratus for incubating. It hasbeen recognized in this art that proper regulation is an essential tosuccessful incubation and many attempts have been made in the past tosecure this regulation.

Regulation may be defined as the maintenance ofa condition in anincubator that will meet the requirements of the developing chickensthrough the stage of hatching, both from a standpoint of heat required,ventilation demanded and moisture needed.

The present invention is designed to meet the conditions above outlinedautomatically and at the proper time during the period of incubation andcomprises generally speaking, a method of operation whereby as animalheat is generated the supplied heat is diminished, and a regulatedquantity, of ventilated air intrbduced at the proper time, the variableaction bein controlled largely through" the increment o the animal heatgenerated by the hatching chickens.

The inventionalso comprehends the supplying to the interior of theincubator of moisture proportionate to the demand required during thevarious stages of incubation The apparatus illustrated and presently tobe described represents somewhat diagrammatically, a form andconstruction for carrying out the invention, and it is to be understoodthat wide variations and changes tance coils,

can be made without departin from the general principle and'nature 0 theinvention.'

For convenience of illustration .1 shall refer to electricity as theheating medium, utilizing in that particular suitable resisbutmanifestly other controllable heating mediums may be employed in lieuthereof.

The apparatus shown is designed to supply a sufficient amount of heat toan ncubator chamber in the initial stages of mendegrees higher.

bation to create proper temperature for the eggs therein contained andin connectiontherewith thermostatic means are employed for reducing theprimary heat supply and simultaneously and conveniently causingventilation, preferably b interposing into the ventilating ducts or ues,suitable heatmg means, thereby creating an updraft and a. forcedcirculation of air, preferably heated air, into the incubator.

As the animal lifedevelops in the eggs, a large amount of animal heat isgiven off and if the initial heat supply is maintained the temperaturein the incubator would be too great. Illustrating, a temperaturestarting at 102 degrees with a given amount of heat supplied, wouldafter the initial stages of incubation soon build up through theaddition of the animal heat in the eggs, a temperature of one andone-half or two The maintenance of such temperature for any considerablelength of 'time would result in destructive conse quences. I thereforeprovide an automatic heat and introducing fresh ventilating air forciblyinto the incubator at that period through the instrumentality ofenergized heating coils within the ventilators, automatically throwninto a l teration and very conveniently, by causing t e current passingthrough the main coils to pass also through the ventilating coils, thussimultaneously cutting down the total heat supplied and alsoredistributing it. As the'chickens develop in the incubator, a greateramount of animal heat is, as stated, thrown off and therefore a greateramount of ventilation is required, and by so arranging the heatingcoils, both inthe incubator and in the ventilating flues, a very rapidchange of conditions, fluctuating momentarily is proso that as the heatduced and maintained, increases through the addition of animal heat theprimary source of heat is modified- The invention may be brieflycharacterized as one wherein the eggs are subjected primarily, to agiven temperature, are then supplied with heated fresh air, which supplyof fresh air is increased proportionate to the increment of animal heatgenerated by the hatching chickens during incubation, and supplyingmoisture in the proper proportion during said incubating period.

In the accompanying drawings l have shown an apparatus for carrying outthe invention wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an incubator of what may be termed thedomestic type;

Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a cross section;

Fig. 4: is an outline perspective of the top showing diagrammaticallythe arrangement of heaters.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the hygrostat;

I Fig. 6 is a similar view of the thermostat;

and Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of the wick-holder and heatertherefor, respectively.

In constructing the body part of the incubator in its simplest form, andin which particular it is to be understood that the general principlecan be applied in forms widely difierent in proportions, arrangement andsize, suitable uprights A are employed constituting the supports. Theseuprights are united by suitable side bars A and by cross facing boardsB, B These facing boards are extended upward to a point some distancebelow the top of the uprights and terminate likewise a distance short ofthe lower end ofthe uprights, as clearly shown in Figure 2. A bottommember B is attached permanently to the sides and has formed thereinventilating doorways B", which maybe provided with regulatlng slides 11,and conveniently similar slides may be placed in the bottom part atother points. The {general arrangement of the bottom part is on the arcof a circle, as shown and for thepurpose presently to be described.

Directly above the bottom is the brooder tray member C, having its endportions silda'bly supported between suitable cleats c. This tray memberis, by preference, an open frame having stretched thereon suitableporous material. -Immediately .above the brooder tray is the egg tray D,slid'ably mounted in suitable cleats on the facing boards. These varioustrays may be of any convenient or known form, as they specifically donot constitute a part of the present invention. The egg tray is locatedsome considerable distance below the top presently to be described,leaving thereabove a relativelylarge space for heating and ventilatingpurposes.

As thus described, the construction represents substantially an openframe with three cross partitions, represented by the bottom, broaderand egg trays, and with the uprights projecting above and below thestructure proper. In this condition, the entire body member is ofsomewhat skeleton formation, and easily accessible for cleaning purposesor for placement of the eggs and the removal of the brood.

The top unit or section E is in the form of an inverted box having fourside walls and a top. This top is made preferably of such material aswill conserve the heat therein contained, and is fashioned to fit overthe body part. With this in view, the ends 6 of the top fit closely theouter faces of the uprights, and thereby form between the said ends andthe sheathing board of the body part, ventilating fiues E opening attheir bottoms well below the bottom part of the body and at their topsbelow the top of the uprights, closely adjacent the e g tray, as clearlyshown in Figure Q. T e top is formed on its forward side convenientlywith a glazed window designed to be located directly in front of the twotrays, as is customary in incubators. The material used in theconstruction of the top can be composite lumber or cellular compositionto render the top as light as possible for the purpose of easy removaland replacement on the body. In this connection, any suitableattachment, as for instance a handle E can be attached to the top, whichin turn may be attached to a suitable rope designed to pass over apulley, not shown. Blocks F 2 are employed to limit the downwardmovement of the top.

For supplying heat to the incubator chamber conveniently a series ofresistance coils Gare secured in the upper portion of the top, whichcoils are preferably arranged in series (ordinary light bulbs can beused if desired, as usual);

Located within the ventilating fiues E are a series of heating coils G.These coils are preferably arranged in series with the main heating coilG, and a thermostat comprising member W, R and S supported on bracket Qis arranged to short circuit the flue coils G as soon asthe temperaturewithin the incubator reaches a point below the temperature required'forthe proper incubating stage. A detail of one suitable form of thisthermostat is shown in 6, in which an expanding member W presses againsta lever n, pivoted at p and pressed upward by spring 1'. The end of thelever n rests against an adjusting screw 8 in one end of a lever R,pivoted at R, the other end of the lever R making contact with anadjusting screw S, which is electrically connected to one of theterminals of the source of current. The other lli source terminal isconnected to one end of the coil G, and the other end of the coil G isconnected to the lever R through the pivot 3' and to this end of thecoil G is also connected one endof the flue heating coils Thecurrentwill be switched automatically through the flue heaters which as stated,are in a series with the primary heater G the thermostat operating theswitch 8. This will materially'lessen the heat in the top of theincubator and by heating the air in the ventilating flues a rapidmovement of air is caused or created, and owing to the fact that theventilating flues terminate well below the bottom of the incubator arapid updraft of fresh air enters through the fines into the.

top of the incubator, just above the eggs,

-where it is most needed, tending to cool the eggs to the degreerequired, the draft passing through the trays and out through the bottomof the incubator chamber which is located, as stated, above the intakeend of the ventilating flues. Thus a natural draft is created andpermitted and is accelerated considerably by the heating of the air inthe ventilating flues. It may be noted in this particular that the airin the ventilating flues being'heated, prevents. the chilling of theeggs and at the same time renders a condition in the incubatorsubstantially-normal and so with relation to the requirements of thegrowing chickens at all stages of the process. It may be here noted thatduring the latter sta es of incubation less heat is required than in thepreliminary stages and this diminution is secured by ventilation ratherthan b the cutting off of all the heat. If the venti ating lines areheated at all times, rapid ventilation or passage of air takes place andby this means the proper condition is maintained.

Located at the lower edge of the end walls of the top part of theincubator are shelves These shelves are arrangedbetween the adj acentuprights and are designed to receive and support water receptacles K.The

water receptacles, shown in detail in Figs. 7. and 8, are provided withwick tubes is having wicks k therein, the major portion of which areplaced within the water within the receptacle and may be raised orlowered, much as lamp wicks are raised or lowered. The wick tubes withtheir protruding wicks are projected obliquely outward into theventilating fiues so that the air passing up' through the flues willcome in contact with the saturated wicks and absorb the moisture thereincontained. These wick holders k are conveniently fashioned to receivelar e wicks and two or more may be applied to tide reservoir.Surrounding the wick holders are heating coils L as shown in Fig. 8,with the wire t and terminals T and T, which are put either in parallelor in series with the 'fiue coils G. When the current is passed meaningthereby receptacles havin' wicks and wick tubes. It should be un erstoodthat it is necessary in incubation to have considerable moisture addedwhere rapid air cir culationexists and the provision of the heatingmeans for amplifying the moisture as.

the air passes into the incubator is an unportant feature of theinvention. It is however, to be observed that under certain conditionsthis moisture should be regulated in a mannerto prevent overdampening orunderdampening and to accomplish this result I place in the shuntcircuit within which the water lamp coils are arranged a hygrostat W W".

An enlarged detail view of the hy rostat is shown in Fig. 5, wherein Wand are two expanding elements, the latter being kept moistened by awick w fed from a reservoir w. W" supports a hanging lever P which beingpivotally-mounted at p can be rocked by a lever M pivoted at m andconnected to the expanding element W at the end furtherest from thelever P. If the two arms of the lever M are made of equal len th, or theadjustment is made so that the en of the lever pressing against thelever P to rock it moves down with a rise in temperature due to theexpansion of the member W is equal to the downward motion of the lever Pdue to the expansion of the member W", the lever P will rock onl whenthe members W and W" have a di erence in temperature, made by theevaporation of the water in the wick w. This being a direct measure ofthe rate of evaporation of the eggs gives the desired control throughelectric contact between the screw a and the lever P. -I have placed thehygrostat in series with the flue coils G, so that a slight decrease ofthe flow of the air is produced as well as increase tribution of the air1 curve the bottom as above stated s6 that the air naturally flowsthrough all parts of the tray containing the eggs. The curvature at thebottom causes a reflection of the air out of the open back Y (Fig. 2)and prevents it from descending vertically through one part or onlythrough the outer layers of the eggs and thence directly out through thebottom. With the curved bottomthe air is forced to pass generallythroughout the entire layer of eggs. I do not wish it understood,however, that the invention is limited in any particular to the use ofthis curved bottom, as I believe the general principles can be appliedwithout that feature and so with success, and in some cases it may bedesirable to change the position of the outlet of the ventilating flues.I

The 0 ration of the apparatus will be substantially as follows: When theeggs are first placed in the incubator the heat from the primary coilwill be sufficient to maintain a proper temperature, in which particularany approved regulator may be employed such as the rheostat Z, the coilsof which may be placed inside the cover as part of the heating coil G oron the outside as shown. Upon the incubator becoming overheated thethermostat is operated and thereupon heated air is circulated rapidlythrough the incubator and the normal condition reestablished. By the useof the hygrostat proper humidity of the air is maintained.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an incubator the combination with an incubator chamber andventilating flues, means for heating the chamber, -means adapted to beoperated for heating the ventilating flues, and means actingautomatically to throw into operation the ventilating flue heaters uponthe building up of a temperature in the incubator above a given point.

2. In an incubator, the combination with an incubating chambercontaining eggs and having its air exit below the level of the eggs,means above the level of the eggs adapted to be supplied with energy toheat the chamber, a ventilating flue leading into said chamber abovesaid eggs, a separate means adapted to be supplied with ener y to causea draft through said flue, a supp y of energy, and means actingautomatically when the temperature in said chamber is above a certainpoint to cause'energy from said supply to flow into said separate means.

I energy to cause a In an incubator, the combination with an incubatinchamber and means adapted to be supplied with energy to heat saidchamber, a ventilatingflue leading into said chamber, means ada ted tobe supplied with raft through said flue,

an energy supply, and means operating automatically when the temperaturein said chamber rises above a given point to cause energy to flow fromsaid supply into the second said means and decrease the amount the firstsaid means.

4. In an incubator, the combination with an incubating chamber andheating means therefor, of a ventilating flue for said chamber, aseparate heating means acting on said flue to cause a drafttherethrough, and means acting automatically when the temperature insaid chamber has risen above a desired point to cause the second saidmeans to become operative.

5. In an incubator, the combination with an incubating chamber andheating means therefor, of a ventilating flue for said chamber, heatingmeans acting on said flue to cause a draft therethrough, and meansoperating automatically when the temperature in said chamber has risenabove a certain point to cause the second said means to become heatedand tocause the first said means to have its tem erature decreased.

6. In an incu ator, the combination with a primary electrical heater, ofa ventilating flue, an electrical heater for the ventilating flue, andmeans acting simultaneously to vary in such manner the heat in the prmary heater and the heat supply to the ventilating flue heater, that adecrease in the heat in one of said heaters will be accompanied by anincrease in the heat in the other of said heaters.

7. In an incubator, the combination with an incubator heating unit, of aventilating flue having a heating unit therein, and a thermostat forcausing a diminishing of 3 heat in the one and increasing it in theother.

8. In an incubator, the combination with a chamber havin heating coilsin the top thereof, of venti ating flues, heati'n coils in theventilatin lines in series wit said 1 other coils, an thermostaticlyoperable means for decreasing the heat'ln the ventilating coils.

9. In combination with an incubating chamber having means for discharginair K into it near its top, a bottom for said 0 amber inclined upwardfrom the point vertically beneath the point of entrance of the airdischarged into the chamber and air outlets in said bottom at differentlevels.

10. In combination with an incubating chamber and means for dischargingair into it at two points near the top on opposite sides of the chambar,a bottom for said chamber inclined upward from beneath the said two airdischarge points and toward the center of said bottom, and ventilatingopenings at diiferent levels in said bottom.

11.. In an incubator the combination with a chamber, means for heatingthesame, a

of energy flowing from said supply into .a chamber and means for heatingthe same,

of a ventilating flue, aheater within the flue, a water supplycomprising a wick projecting into the flue, means for heating the wickto a temperature abovethat of its surroundings to cause the watertherein contained to evaporate, and controlling means. for the wickheating means arranged to be influenced by the humidity in the chamber.

13. An incubator comprising a body part having upright members,sheathings connecting the upright members transversely at the ends andterminating'below the top of the upright members and above the bottomthereof, and a top part slidably supported and extending over the bodypart, the ends of the top part engaging the outer faces of the uprightsto form ventilating flues therebetween, substantially as described.

14. In an incubator, the combination with a body part having trays andventilating openings, of a removable top part having sides extendingbelow said trays to constitute with the adjacent structure a ventilatingflue, and heating means positioned in the ventilating flue.

15. In an incubator, the combination with a body formed of a skeletonframe having trays thereacross of an inverted box forming a top partfashioned to embrace the body part and constituting the sides and endsthereof, the body part having an outlet in its lower portion and adepending portion of the top part extending below said outlet, :1

ventilating flue between the top and the body part, heating means in thetop part, and means for heating the flue.

16. In an incubator, a heating coil, a ven tilating flue, a heating coilfor the ventilating flue, and automatic means for cutting in theventilating coil subsequent to the heating of the heating coil.

17. In an incubator having ventilating flues extending from below thebottom there of to a point below the top, heating coils in the top andheating coils in the flues, and means for automatically establishingelectrical connection between the top heating coils and the flue heatingcoils.

18. In an incubator, an incubating chamber,

, a ventilating flue, a moisture supplying device, instrumentalities forheating said device, and means for preventing said last mentionedinstrumentalities from operating when said air flow is stopped and forcontrolling the flow of air in said flue.

19. In an incubator, the combination with Y a body and cover member, aventilating flue terminating below the bottom of the incubator formed inpart by said cover member, a shelf on said cover member located at thebottom of the flue, and a removable vapor supplying device on the'shelf.

20. In an incubator, a heating coil, a ventilating means including acoil in series with said heating coil, and thermostatically sheathingand extending from the sheathing to contact with the other sides of thebox.

' 22. Anincubator comprising an inverted box having a partition walldividing said box into a large and small vertical flue connected attheir upper ends, an egg tray and a perforated bottom for the largeflue, said bottom extending completely across the large flue and beinghigher at all points than the bottom of said smaller flue, and means forheating the incubator and causing air to move up t e small flue and downthe large flue. V

23. In an incubator, a ventilating device having a coil therein and ahumidifier, a heating coil for said humidifier, in 'series with saidventilating coil, and hygrostatically controlled means forshort-circuiting the humidifier heating coil.

24. In an incubator, an interior supporting framework, a tray mountedthereon for the eggs, and a removal cover part thereon, said cover parthaving a portion depending alongside an adjacent portion of theframework to provide a ventilating passage therebetween having an inletbelow the level of said tra s, said trays having air outlets beneath tem but above the inlets of said ventilating passages.

25. In an incubator, an interior supporting framework adapted toaccommodate the eggs, and a removable cover part thereon, said coverpart having a portion depending alongside an adjacent portion of theframework to provide a ventilating passage therebetween, in combinationwith a heater in andadapted to be carried by said cover part, the bodyof the incubator being provided with an outlet opening in its lowerportion ar ranged above the inlet to said ventilating passage.

26. In an incubator, an interior supporting framework adapted toaccommodate the eggs, and, a removable cover part thereon,

said cover part having a portion depending III alongside an adjacentportion of the framework to provide a ventilating passage therebetween,in combination with an outlet from said framework at the lower portionthereof, but arranged at a point above the inlet end of the ventilatingpassage and means for creating a downward circulation through the eggsto said outlet.

27. In an incubator, an interior supporting framework adapted toaccommodate the eggs, and a removable cover part thereon, said coverpart having a portion depending alongside an adjacent portion of theframework to provide a ventilating passagetherebetween, in combinationwith heaters in the cover part, one located in the upper portionthereof, and the other in the ventilating passage, and automatic meansfor relatively controlling said heaters, all adapted to be carried bythe removable cover part.

28. In an incubator, an interior supporting framework adapted toaccommodate the eggs, and a removable cover part thereon, said coverpart having a portion depending alongside an adjacent portion of theframework to provide a ventilating passage therebetween, in combinationwith heaters in the cover part, one located in the upper portion thereofand the other in the ventilating passage, an air moistener, andautomatic means for relatively controlling said heaters and,

air moistener, all adapted to be carried by the removable cover part.

29. In an incubator, means for supporting the eggs, a container for saidmeans having a ventilating passage, a heater in the container adjacentto the egg supporting means,

a heater in the ventilating passage, and an air moistener, said heatersand moistener being operatively related to be automatically andrelatively regulated by the increasing heat generated by the eggs.

30. In an incubator, two chambers, one of less depth than the other, theformer being adapted to contain the eggs to be treated and havingsuitable heating means, and the latter constituting a ventilating fineand also having suitable heating means distributed down its depth, andmeans regulating the relative distribution of heat in the two chambersby varying the heat in the ventilating flue.

31. In an incubator, a heating circuit, a ventilating device includingan electrical circuit in series wltn said heating circuit, andthermostatic controlling means for short circuiting the circuit of theventilating device.

32. In an incubator, the combination with a body part having an eggsupporting tray and ventilating openings, of a top part removabletherefrom and having a side portion extending below said tray, andheating means including a moisture producing device mounted on saiddepending portion of the top part to be carried by and removabletherewith.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses,

CHARLES M. HECK.

Witnesses:

A. T. SHAW, JOHN H. BOUSHALL.

